Punjab flood relief: Centre urged to double SASCI funding
After devastating floods hit Punjab this year, the state government is urging the Centre to double its funding under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema says Punjab suffered estimated losses of about ₹20,000 crore, affecting crops, homes, infrastructure, livestock, and soil, yet got much less SASCI support than states like West Bengal and Bihar.
₹1,600 crore relief package announced by PM Modi
Around 1,400 villages were affected and lakhs of people displaced by the floods.
On September 9, PM Modi announced a ₹1,600 crore relief package in Gurdaspur—but many farmers questioned the adequacy and purpose of the funds.
Punjab is also facing extra financial stress with ₹60,000 crore in pending central dues and worries over future GST losses.